Following a mention of the pneumonia vaccine on the Covid thread, I did some research as I was not aware there was one. It is part of childhood vaccination in many countries but I think it is a very important vaccine for seniors to consider having.

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/pneumo/public/index.html

Brief summary (focusing on adults only): Older adults are at risk of serious illness and death.

Who Should Get Pneumococcal Vaccines?
CDC recommends pneumococcal vaccination for all adults 65 years or older. In certain situations, other adults should also get pneumococcal vaccines.

There are two types of vaccine [I am not aware if there are other types available]:

• Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine or PCV13
• Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine or PPSV23

PCV13: Adults 65 years or older can discuss and decide, with their doctor, to get PCV13. Anyone who has had a life-threatening allergic reaction to any of the following should NOT get PCV13: A shot of this vaccine, an earlier pneumococcal conjugate vaccine called PCV7 (or Prevnar®), any vaccine containing diphtheria toxoid (for example, DTaP), anyone who has had a life-threatening allergic reaction to PPSV23 should not get another shot [not clear but I assume they mean of PCV13 OR PPSV23], anyone with a severe allergy to any part of either of these vaccines should not get that vaccine. Your doctor can tell you about the vaccines’ ingredients.

PPSV23: CDC recommends PPSV23 for: All adults 65 years or older, people 2 through 64 years old with certain medical conditions, adults 19 through 64 years old who smoke cigarettes.

These vaccines may be available:

• PCV13 (Prevnar 13®): Adults who need this vaccine get 1 shot. The vaccine helps protect against the 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria that most commonly cause serious infections in children and adults. It can also help prevent ear infections and pneumonia caused by those 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria.
• PPSV23 (Pneumovax23): Usually a single shot. CDC recommends 1 or 2 additional shots for people with certain chronic medical conditions. This vaccine helps protect against serious infections caused by 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria.

Efficacy:

Studies show that getting at least 1 shot of PCV13 protects:

• 3 in 4 adults 65 years or older against invasive pneumococcal disease
• 9 in 20 adults 65 years or older against pneumococcal pneumonia

Studies show that getting 1 shot of PPSV23 protects:

• Between 10 to 17 in 20 healthy adults against invasive pneumococcal disease